Marshal miles sanford



(ModeL) M. SANFORD.

GAR COUPLING.

Patented Jan. 25, 1887.

' 31' ammo il'nrrsn grates PATENT QFFICE.

TWO-THIRDS TO ROBERT L. BROOKS AND or SAME PLACE.

JOHN Y. OOVINGTON, BOTH CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 356,506, dated January25, 1887.

Application filed December 10, 1886. Serial No. 221,229. (ModeL) v ToaZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARsHAL MiLns SAN- FORD, a citizen ofthe UnitedStates, residing at Forksville, inthe county of Ouachita and State ofLouisiana, haveinvented a new and useful ImprovementinOanCouplingaofwhich the following is a specification. 1

My invention relates to an improvement in car-couplings; and it consistsin the peculiar construction and combination of devices,that will bemore fully set forth hereinafter, and particularly pointed out in theclaims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is aside elevation of a car coupling embodyingmy improvements. Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view of the same,taken on the line w of Fig. Fig. 8 is a front elevation of one of thedrawheads and the coupling-pin therein. Fig. 4 is a detail perspectiveview of the couplingpin. Fig. is a similar view of the couplinglink.

A represents a draw-head, which is of the usual construction, and isprovided with the mouth or opening B, to receive the ends of thecoupling-link, and with the vertical openings O,intersecting the openingRand adapted to receive the coupling-pin D. The said coupling-pin andopenings 0 are rectangular,so that the pin cannot turn in the openings.The coup ling-pin is provided with parallel vertical slots E, therebyforming parallel vertical bars F between and at the outer sides of theslots. The said bars have their upper portions tapered in transversesection to a point, thereby forming wedge-shaped keys a, the points ofwhich are toward the mouth of the draw-head, and the lower portions ofthe bars are tapered in transverse section in the reverse direction tothe keys a, thereby forming wedge-shaped keys I), the points of whichare toward the rear end of the draw-head.

From the sides of the key, just above the slots E, project shoulders G,adapted to bear against the upper side of the draw-head and sustain thecoupling-pin in such a position that the keys to are opposed to themouth of the draw-head, and the keys I) are below the same. A transversepin, H, extends through the lower end of the coupling-pin, to preventand when the coupling-link enters the draw- 6c head the spring-hooksthereof pass between the keys a and cause the heads 0 to engage the rearbroad sides of the said keys, thereby coupling the cars together. Inorder to uncouple the cars, the c0upling-pin is raised until the keys bare opposed to the opening in the draw-head, and as the said keys havethe points on theirrear sides it will be readily understood that thehooks of the couplinglink, when strain is exerted on the latter, dis--engage the keys I), and the coupling-link is thereby released.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. In a car-coupling, thecombination of the draw-head,the vertically-movable pin therein, havingthe wedge-shaped keys a. and 1) arranged above each other, and withtheir points projecting in opposite directions, and the coupling-linkhaving the projecting springhooks, substantially as described.

2. In a car-coupling, the combination of the d raw-head,thevertically-movable pin therein, having the vertical parallel bars, thesaid bars having their upper portions wedgeshaped in cross-section toform keys a, and having their lower portions wedge-shaped incross-section to form keys I), the points of the said keys a I and I)projecting in opposite direetions,and the coupling-link having thespring-hooks, for the purpose set forth, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in presence of two witnesses.

MARSHAL MILES SANFORD.

Witnesses:

L. H. Moi'sn, AUSTIN GREEN.

